have been answered in those convocations if it was health, if it was age or one's ability to have the energy to travel and so forth. so, i think those questions were all adequately answered as far as the cardinals were concerned. and they chose the man that they felt had the humility and all the other traits to lead the church at this time. >> shepard: when benedict was elected, largely because of age, i was told at the time, standing in this same place in 2005, the analysts said well he is a transitional pope because of his age. this man is two years younger. is he a transitional pope? >> >> i don't think that's what the intention of the cardinals who voted him as who elected him you want as the holly father. the only way we would have to answer that is to look down the road. and see how he is doing. you know, pope leo 13th was elected at the age of 78 and went on to reign for 15 years and died in 1903. so, and he was elected as a traditional pope. as a transitional pope. so who is to say? >> >> is the thinking now that it's kind of okay to retire when you want to? or do we go back to the m